Patriots Journal: Players considering their footwear

Monday

Oct 17, 2011 at 12:01 AM

FOXBORO — Danny Woodhead had a travel bag filled with several pairs of football shoes in front of his locker at Gillette Stadium Friday. Wes Welker showed off a new pair of cleats that featured a lot of pink.

By PAUL KENYON | | Journal SPorts Writer

FOXBORO - Danny Woodhead had a travel bag filled with severalpairs of football shoes in front of his locker at Gillette StadiumFriday. Wes Welker showed off a new pair of cleats that featured alot of pink.

Shoes have been a major topic of discussion all week for thePatriots. With the end of the baseball season, the O.co Coliseum,where the Raiders play, has been re-sodded, which could make forless than firm footing. The Pats will take different length cleatswith them and test the field before deciding which to wear for thegame.

"We'll do what we think is best based on the information wehave. We'll see what it looks like and go out there and look at itbefore the game, go out there in warm-ups," said coach BillBelichick. "We'll use our experience based on Don Brocher, ourequipment manager, with the different shoe options and cleatlengths and so forth. We'll evaluate it and do what we think isbest. That may be different from one position or one player toanother, too." "Some players have certain preferences. Sometimes wemodify those. Sometimes we're OK with that. We look at everystadium, every situation and try to figure out what the bestfootwear would be. That's what we do. We warm up in it and go fromthere," the coach said.

Lineman Brian Waters, who played there every year with KansasCity, said the backs and receivers are the players who must be mostaware of the conditions. It is not a major factor for the linemen,he said.

The pink shoes Welker and a number of other players had are partof the NFL's Breast Cancer Awareness program.

The injury list

Tight end Aaron Hernandez will miss his second consecutive game,and tackle Sebastian Vollmer and defensive lineman Mike Wright alsowill not play against the Raiders on Sunday, according to theFriday injury report.

Tom Brady will have two special aspects to Sunday's game inOakland, although he seems to care about only one.

The game will be notable for Brady because it will be ahomecoming. He grew up in San Mateo, just south of San Franciscoand very close to where the Patriots will be staying for the twonights leading up to the game.

"It's been a while since I've been there. The last time weplayed there I think was in '02. I think my parents are the mosthappy, they don't have to come very far this week," Brady said.

The Brady family occasionally attended Oakland games, so theyare aware of the environment.

"They can't wear any Patriots gear or anything. They'll be indisguise," Brady said. "They don't want to be harassed too much.There's been so many stories about the Black Hole. It's a greatplace to go to games. I've been to them when I was younger. It's agreat environment for football."

In addition, it will be the 10th anniversary of Brady's moveinto a starting role with New England. The quarterback did not seemto care about that as much.

"I don't even remember. It was a long time ago. Yeah, I don'teven remember," he said.

Farewell 'good friend'

There was an unusual incident during Belichick's news conferenceFriday morning and it had nothing to do with the Patriots.

The New England coach was winding down his last session withreporters before Sunday's game at Oakland when he was asked how hefelt about Terry Francona's departure from Boston.

Told that it was official, Belichick did what he rarely does ongame week. He took time to talk about Franonca, whom he called "agood friend."

"I didn't realize that had happened," Belichick said. "He's agreat manager. I'm sure a lot of people in baseball would love tohave his record, with the championships he's won. … I'llcertainly miss his presence in the area.

"It's disappointing on a personal level," Belichick said. "Ilike Terry. He's certainly had a great record as manager of the RedSox."

pkenyon@providencejournal.com

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